Magnetic poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) microspheres by dispersion and inverse emulsion polymerization

The aim of this study was to develop novel thermally responsive polymer microspheres with magnetic properties. Dispersion and inverse emulsion copolymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBAAm) was investigated in the presence of γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. The resulting microspheres were characterized in terms of morphology, size, polydispersity, iron content, and temperature‐dependent swelling using optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, QELS, and AAS. The effects of several variables, such as the concentration of γ‐Fe₂O₃, MBAAm crosslinking agent, Span 80 surfactant, 2,2′‐azobis(2‐methyloctanenitrile) (AMON) initiator, and polymerization temperature on the properties of the microspheres were studied. Swelling and thermoresponsive behavior of the microspheres containing γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles were also investigated. The microspheres contained about 8 wt % of iron. The presence of magnetic nanoparticles and their concentration changes did not have any significant effect on the temperature sensitivity of the composites. The particles gradually shrink into an increasingly collapsed state when the temperature is raised to 40 °C since the increase in temperature weakens the hydration and PNIPAAm chains gradually become more hydrophobic, which leads to the collapse of the particles. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5884–5898, 2007     

On-line arbitrarily vertex decomposable trees

A tree T is arbitrarily vertex decomposable if for any sequence τ of positive integers adding up to the order of T there is a sequence of vertex-disjoint subtrees of T whose orders are given by τ. An on-line version of the problem of characterizing arbitrarily vertex decomposable trees is completely solved here.     

On the Neighbour-Distinguishing Index of a Graph

A proper edge colouring of a graph G is neighbour-distinguishing provided that it distinguishes adjacent vertices by sets of colours of their incident edges. It is proved that for any planar bipartite graph G with Δ(G)≥12 there is a neighbour-distinguishing edge colouring of G using at most Δ(G)+1 colours. Colourings distinguishing pairs of vertices that satisfy other requirements are also considered.     

Multilayered Cu–Ti deposition on silicon substrates for chemiresistor applications

Abstract

On the perspective to develop CuO–TiO₂ MOS, multilayered Cu and Ti thin layers were alternatively deposited on silicon wafers using 25?keV Ar?+?ion beam sputtering and, subsequently, oxidized by thermal annealing in air at 400?°C for 24?h. The deposited films have variable ratios of the Cu and Ti % at. One of the main goal is to obtain such multilayers avoiding the presence of Cu–Ti–O compounds. The samples were characterized in terms of composition (by RBS and SIMS analyses) and morphology (by AFM and SEM investigations). In particular, SIMS maps allows to observe the spatial distribution and thickness of each phase of the Cu/Ti multilayers, and further to observe Cu diffusion and mixing with Ti, as well as phase separation of CuO and TiO₂ in the samples. The reasons of this effect represent an open issue that has to investigated, in order to improve the MOS fabrication.     

Photochemical reaction of Rh2(CO)4(μ-TPP)(TPP=tetraphenyl-porphyrinato) with pyridine (Py) in benzene. Generation of a mononuclear rhodium(II) porphyrin radical complex Rh(TPP)(Py)

Photolytic decarbonylation of Rh₂(CO)₄(TPP) (TPP=tetraphenylporphyrinato) with pyridine (Py) in benzene gives an unusual monomeric Rh^II radical complex Rh(TPP)(Py), which has been characterised by thermal and spectroscopic measurements and by vapour pressure osmosis.     

Substituted metal carbonyls XIII. Fe(CO)4(η-dppf) [where DPPF = (Ph2PC5H4)2Fe]: a convenient building block for heterometallic complexes

The potential of Fe(CO)₄(η¹-dppf) (dppf = 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene) as a precursor for heterometallic species is fully expanded in the synthesis of (OC)₄Fe(μ-dppf)Cr(CO)₅, (OC)₄Fe(μ-dppf)W(CO)₅, and (OC)₄Fe(μ-dppf)Mn₂(CO)₉, all of which have been characterized by IR, NMR (¹H and ³¹P) and elemental analyses. The low energy requirement of TMNO (Me₃NO · 2H₂O)decarbonylation allows the formation of monosubstituted Mn₂(CO)₁₀ as the major product. This aspect is further substantiated by the isolation of Mn₄(CO)₁₈(μ-dppf) in which the single bridging of a diphosphine group between two Mn₂(CO)₉ moieties is unprecedented.     

Resonances in low-energy rare-gas atom scattering

Precise values of energies and widths of low-lying resonances in some rare-gas atom systems (Ar-Ar, Ne-Kr, Ne-Xe) are reported.     

Sturmian functions for nonlocal interactions

The problem of calculation of Sturmian functions (positive energy Weinberg states) for nonlocal (exchange) interactions is considered. It is shown that the method of continued fractions proposed by Horáek and Sasakawa makes the calculation of Sturmian eigenfunctions and eigenvalues feasible even for complicated nonlocal interactions. As an example Sturmian functions and Sturmian eigenvalues for the low energy electron-hydrogen scattering in the static exchange approximation are calculated. In addition a very general proof of convergence of the method of continued fractions is presented.Dedicated to the memory of Professor Jozef Kvasnica.     

Some basic electrochemistry and the cold nuclear fusion of deuterium

The role of electrochemistry in the discovery and interpretation of the alleged cold nuclear fusion is discussed.